Federal Center hit by partial shutdown

The Federal Center in Lakewood is one place in Colorado that is feeling the full force of the federal government shutdown.

The campus, which is normally full of vehicles and has about 6,200 employees, has the feeling of a ghost town.

Only minimal staff have been retained, and that is in keeping with the plan for the agency when there is a lack of funds.

According to information posted on the U.S. General Services Administration’s website, the GSA provides a minimal level of staffing to support federal agency functions that must continue during the lapse period.

“In the absence of appropriations, GSA owned and leased buildings will remain open. In many cases, because of the impact on the number of personnel managing these buildings, the services will be limited and will be similar to weekend operations. Maintenance and janitorial services, telephone service, lighting, and power will continue so that tenant agencies can continue to provide vital services and perform essential missions.”

The information also states that parking spaces associated with GSA facilities will remain open. The Federal Protective Service will also continue to provide building security.

GSA will have limited personnel that will be available to assist federal agencies in GSA owned and leased buildings to provide support for life safety, property protection, contracting, communications, and IT services.

The USGS Water Science Center, which is located at the Federal Center, is closed, along with some websites.

The USGS website still offers updated maps, deemed “necessary to protect citizens and land property” including:

• Ecosystems

• Disease Maps

• National Wildlife Health Center

• Natural Hazards

• USGS coastal erosion hazards information

• USGS earthquake information

• USGS emergency operations portal

• USGS information on geomagnetic activity

• USGS landslide information

• USGS volcano information

• Water

NREL is still open with staff working as usual but if the government shutdown continues, they will have to close.

“We hope that it won’t go that long,” George Douglas, spokesperson for NREL said. “We can continue to operate for a month or more the way we are now,” he said.